Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsNo regrets, a great razor
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2013
I bought this after reading how this razor (and the similar Edwin Jaggers) are excellent safety razors for beginners. I was going to go with the Merkur 34C, but I went with this one after reading that this model was slightly less aggressive (which I interpreted to mean that I was less likely to butcher my face if I didn't know what I was doing) and and that this razor's head was a redesign of the Merkur. I chose this over the Edwin Jagger due to the knurled/patterened handle, which I thought would be easier to grip securely than the smooth, lined, or even "pearled barley" handles of the EJ's. My understanding is that this and the Edwin Jagger DE89 series have identical heads; the price difference is related to these being made in Germany rather than in England, gooing through a distributor, and having different handles. I looked on badgerandblade.com and other websites for this information.
I also watched mantic's videos on how to make a lather, shave, et cetera. Highly recommended.
It's a very well contructed razor, with no visible flaws and feels very secure even though you unscrew the handle to insert a razor blade. It feels nice, looks like a quality instrument, and is easy to grip with no sense of slipping even when wet (it is a little slippery with soap and water, but if I merely wiggle my fingers in the sink which has soapy water that gets the soap off and my grip is then secure). I don't think you can go wrong with this or with one of the metal Edwin Jaggers; I don't know if the extra $30 for this model with more knurling was worth it, but I'm very happy with my purchase and would order this one again. I figure that any extra knurling for a better grip is well worth it.
I've shaved around 5 or 6 times with it, and I feel like I'm getting the hang of it. I expect to be even more comfortable and proficient with it in another week. The first time (or two) I was VERY nervous and thought I was going to seriously hurt myself (I didn't, but the shave wasn't very good and my face felt like I had a bad case of razor burn). With a week of shaves, I'm now up to 3 passes and my face feels better, with less razor burn (barely any if I only shave over lathered areas, don't apply pressure, and use good angling technique). I don't apply any real pressure and let the blade/razor weight do the work, and while the first pass over my face feels a little rough, the 2nd and 3rd times go very smoothly and feel really nice. I actually look forward to shaving with this - I have NEVER looked forward to shaving with either an electric or a cartrige blade. Ever. I keep remembering from Mantic's video that each pass is "beard reduction," not beard elimination. Great advice.
I'm still getting the hang of shaving under my nose, and haven't (yet) tried shaving much against the grain, but it's already a closer and more comfortable shave than my electric Braun wet/dry 3 series (I prefer wet shaves), other electric Brauns and a wet/dry top of the line Panasonic, and a Gillette Mach 3 (and previously Mach 3's/Trac 2's). It doesn't "catch" nearly as much on the first pass as any cartridge I've tried, and for the 2nd and 3rd passes it doesn't catch at all. It also shaves under my chin and on my neck very nicely, which no electric has ever been able to do well (and I've tried 4+ electrics of every brand). I didn't bother trying a Fusion due to the outrageous cartridge prices.
I've nicked myself twice - once over my chin where I have a small bump (barely noticeable discomfort, although it did keep bleeding a tiny bit which was frustrating) and under my nose where I tried touching up a patch of whiskers without lathering it again. A good lather can be the difference between a really nice, smooth shave and a nicked, raw area of skin.
My neck has the best shave I've had, it's much easier on my face now after about a week of getting used to it (initially it was rougher, which I attribute to my technique), and I have caught myself thinking about shaving twice a day just to enjoy the experience more. I do find I get a much closer shave after a shower with less irritation, by the way.
Different shaving soaps make a huge difference - I use the Body Shoppe's shaving cream for men and Kiss My Face's shaving cream (in a bowl lathered up with the Ecotools kabuki brush). Lathering in a bowl with extra water makes a HUGE difference compared to simply putting shaving cream on my face. Lathering works far better for me.
I wholeheartedly recommend safety razors, and I wholeheartedly recommend this model as the one I will be using for a long time (unless I acquire Razor Acquisition Disorder, which I am told is common! If that happens, I will check out an open comb or adjustable model from someone). I do recomend getting a good starter pack with a variety of razors - I got mine from westcoastshaving.com as their pack came with the following blades - Feather, Merkur, Astra Platinum, Derby, Personna, Crystal, and Gillette. I couldn't find a starter pack on Amazon.com that had all of the ones that I wanted to try. I like the Astra blades; the Derbys felt rougher but that may have been my technique starting out so I wouldn't read much into that. I'm going to try a Merkur blade next. Keep in mind that new blades are around 50 cents a blade and last for at least as long as a cartridge, maybe a lot longer.
I actually look foward to shaving every day with this razor and think about how I can shave more often, not less - I think that says everything right there. Definitely watch some videos on making a good lather and how to use one of these, try a few different blades and shaving creams to find out which work best for you, and enjoy the experience - it's well worth your time.
